Christian Price
LEGO-Themed State of the City: Mayor Champions ‘Building Stronger Together’
Mayor Nancy Smith delivered her third State of the City address last night at Desert Sunrise High School, emphasizing a vision of collective growth for Maricopa.
The event showcased the city’s achievements over the past year, including significant advances in the Industrial Triangle project and ongoing support for funding and expansion of State Route 347. However, Smith’s remarks also centered on the theme, “Building Stronger Together.”
Smith used LEGO blocks as a powerful metaphor during her speech, calling on residents to actively participate in shaping Maricopa into a vibrant community. “LEGOs are designed not only to connect, but also to be connected,” she explained. “They click together, forming connections that are solid and enduring.”
In her analogy, Maricopans served as the “bricks” essential to the construction of their city. “A single brick doesn’t do much on its own,” she noted, “but when you connect it with others, when each of us brings our strengths, our skills, commitments, we create something lasting.”
This appeal for engagement was consistent with the messages from her previous addresses. Last year, Smith recognized the vital role of home developers in fostering economic and infrastructural growth in the city. “Developers aren’t just building roofs,” she stated in 2024. “They’re laying the groundwork for future opportunities. When rooftops emerge, developers are seeing a thriving community.”
Former Mayor Christian Price had previously echoed this sentiment in his addresses, notably in a 2021 speech where he referred to the city holding the “Golden Ticket” for growth. His belief in development as a precursor to community success was evident in statements like, “If you build it, they will come.”